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Betl^lefferi] 


^   (Larislmas  Teem 


By 


JTeriPy    S.     Kirk 


'(EZi^^/f, 


^Jk. 


Copyrighted  by  Henry  S.  Kirk. 

1894. 


M.  A    Mclnnis.  Oakland.  Cai. 


THE    SHEPHERDS. 


671530 


/// 


^HE   night   was    still:     no   wind   nor   sighing   breeze 
Blew   down   the   sloping   hillsides  through  the   trees. 
Nor   stirred    a.  leaf    of    olive   in    the    grove ; 
The    earth    was    hushed    in   peace  —  as  from   above ; 
Save    for   some  dismal    far-off  jackal's  cry 
That   moaned   awhile,   then    in   its   echo,    die. 
Up   in   the   heavens   glowed   the    stars ;     the   moon. 
In    all    her   mellow    fullness,  calmly    shone, 
And   like   a   gracious   queen   enthroned    in   might 
She    reigned    serene,    mid    veils    of  misty    light. 


/v 


UDEA    slept :     no   trace    of    life   was    seen 
Save    for  a   fire,    that    with    fitful    gleam 
Flung    weird    shadows    'gainst    a    sheepcot's    wall, 
And    round   the   blaze,    in    eas}^    reach    of  call 
Of  yonder    silent    sentinel,    reposed 
The   forms    of  sleeping  shepherds  ;    midnight  closed  ; 
The    watcher's  task  was    o'er,  he    paused  and  turned 
Towards  the  fire,  w^hen  sudden  round  him  burned 
A   vvondro'is  light:    the  shepherd  shook  with  fear. 
While  brighter  grew  the  light,  and  yet  more  clear. 


E    looked    around    him    and    could    plainly  see 
The   glen    and   hills,    the  rocks   and   every   tree ; 
He    looked   above,  no    star   shone    in    the    sky, 
The   moon  was   gone,   but   there  he   saw   on  high, 
As    from    a   heavenly    window,    streaming, 
The  dazzling  light;    transfixed  and  almost    seeming 
Lifeless,  he  called  aloud  with  terrored  sound, 
^'  Awake,  awake,  awake,"  and  from  the  ground 
The  sleepers  sprang,  but  at  the  blinding  light 
They    fell    upon   the    earth    o'ercome  with    fright. 


VI 


HEN    spoke    a   voice,    in    tones   like   liquid   gold, 
^*  Fear  not,"  their  hearts  swelled  quickly,  *'  for  behold 
I    bring   you  good   tidings   which    shall   be 
To  all    people,  great  joy;''  and    there  they  see 
A    lovely    youth    arra3'ed    in   dazzling   white, 
Above  his  brow    a    star   hung,    far   more    bright 
Than    brilliant   Hesperus.       Their    fear  now    fled, 
And    in    their   hearts    with    simple    faith  they    said  : 
God's    glory    is    about    us.      And    again 
The   angel    spoke  in    even    gladder    strain. 


VIJ 


^^^OR  unto  you   this   very  day  is   born 

p      A    Saviour,  in   David's    holy   town, 

A    Saviour,  Christ   the  Lord,  and   this   shall   be 
Unto  you    a    sign :    the  infant  you    shall   see 
In    swaddling   clothes    and   lying  in   a   manger." 
No  more    then   said   the  holy   stranger 
But  yet  he    stayed,  and   all    around   him  grew 
The   glowing  light,  now  turned  to  roseate  hue. 
And   In    the    sk}^,  with   flashing  wings,   they    see 
Myriad  angels,  chanting  in    glad  ecstas\^ 


VIII 


HANTING  in  unison,  in  gladness  and  glee 
Chanting  a  sweet  strain  triumphantly : 
"  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  and  peace 
On  earth,  good  will  towards  men."      They  cease 
Not  once,  but  many  times  their  hymn    prolong 
And  echoes  scatter  sweetly  from  the  song 
And  echo  o'er  again.      The  angel    spread 
His  shining   wings    and    vanished    overhead, 
But  yet  they  heard,  though    slow   it    fainter   grew 
The    chorus    sweet,   'till   last    it  faded  too. 


IX 


HE   shepherds  at   each    other   gazed   with    awe 
And    spoke   in    hushed  tones    of  what   they   saw, 
And   of  the    wondrous  words    the  angel   said ; 
At   last    one  of  them,  looking   overhead. 
Spoke  solemnly,  "  Did   not   the    angel    say 
The    Christ   is    born,    and    born  this  very   day, 
And    in    our    Bethlehem ;    is    it    not  so  ? 
For    it  is  David's    city.       Then    let   us    go 
And  worship  him."     And  quitting  flocks  and  all 
They  went  to  seek   the  Christ,  their  Lord,  their  All, 


//. 

BIRTH  OF  THE  SAVIOUR. 


HE   day   was   done,  and    slowl}^    in    the  west 


Judea's  sun    was    sinking    low   to   rest, 
j^-V^      And  o'er  the   top   of  Gedor   cast   a   glow 

^+\^       Of  deep'ning  crimson.      The   twilight  fadings    grow 
^-^       Far   in    the   east,    and   with   their   waning   light 
Throw  darkning   shadows,  heralds  of  the   night. 
O'er  Bethlehem.      Fair  Bethlehem,   set   in 
Mid   scenes   of  beauty ;    city   of    the    King, 
Of  David,  Juda's  pride;    the   sun's   last   ray 
Kisses    thy    walls    with    love,    then   fades    away. 


XI 


5r?%3^ 


O   Bethlehem   this   winter's   eve   there  come 
Two   travellers,  who  haste   e'er  day  is   done 
To  reach  the   inn  :     and   one   of  them,    a  man, 
Of  stately  mein,   with   eager  eyes  does    scan 
The   roadway   through   the   town  —  a   princely    form 
Tall    and   erect,   his    liquid  eyes,    so  warm, 
With    tender  friendship    shone ;     and  by    his    side 
Upon    a   patient    animal,   does    ride 
A    woman    veiled,    but    see,    her  veil    falls   low, 
Her   face    is   clear,  lit   by    the    sunset's  glow. 


XII 


^yO\J'^ND   such   a  face — no   mortal    ever   knew 

One  like   before.     Her   eyes   were   deep  and   blue, 
Clear   as   a   cloudless    sky;    the  stars    at    night 
With    lesser  lustre   shine,    with    dimmer  light 
Than  those  soft  eyes.     Her  face,    of   perfect    mold, 
Was  wondrous  fair  and  sweet;    and    like    fine    gold 
Spun    out,    her   long   hair    fell   all    unconfined 
Adown    her   back,    and   in    the    gentle    wind 
Rippled    softly.      There    ne'er   was    angel  face 
Nor   form,  so  lovely    nor    so  blest    with    grace. 


.   xrii 


URPASSING   fair,   by   right,   for   it   is   she 
Who   is   the   mother   of  the  Christ,    to   be : 
'Tis  Mary,    and   her   soul's   exceeding  grace 
Is  greater   than  all   else.      They    reach   the  place 
Of  rest,    they    stop,    and  Joseph,    for   'tis    he. 
Enters,    but   soon    returns,    and    plain   to    see 
With   disappointment   weighed,   'tis    true  not   there 
Is   room   for   them  ;     it  seems  as   though   nowhere 
They  may   find   rest.      At    last    he  leads   the   wa}^ 
Out   of  the    town,   out    in    the    twilight    gray. 


XIV 


ADLY    they    wander   on,    the  dying   day 
^'^^^^      Now   fading   fast    has   almost   died    away, 
'(T^r^^     The  Virgin    fainter    grows,    but    soon    they    see 
'^^     x\   hillside    cavern — here  their  rest    shall    be. 
'^^         They    haste,  they    reach    the   place,    they  enter    in. 
The   cave  is   cold,    'tis    full   of  shadows   dim. 
It    is  a    stable,    for    against   the  wall 
Are  straw-filled  mangers,    meant    for   cattle   stall. 
Here  is  their    rest,   they  raise   their  hearts   above 
With    grateful  prayers    for  His  protecting  love. 


XI' 


I^IS  midnight    hour,    when   sudden  comes    a  light 

And  fills    the   cave,  'tis   wondrous    clear  and  bright  ; 
And  hark,    the    walls    resound    with    melody 
The    angels    sing,    they    sing   with    ecstasy. 
The    very  air    with  gladness  shakes,    and    well. 
For    Christ    is    born,    as    midnight  hour   fell. 
His    birth  a    miracle;    and  o'er    him,   low, 
The   Virgin    Mother  kneels,  and  as   the  glow 
Her  eyes   are    clear,  they  beam  with   tender  grace 
The  infant  smiles  and    looks    up  in   her    face. 


XVI 


HE    night    wears    on,  the    angels'    song  is   o'er, 
The   light  is  gone,   and  quietude   once   more 
.f-A^      Fills   all  the   place:     the   pale   moon's    silv'ry   glow 
Falls  on  the  ground.     Now  through  the  opening  low, 
With   hesitating  step  and  slow   advance. 
Some  men   approach,   and   with   one   glance 
At  the  new  born    child,  they  prostrate   there 
And  worship  long — 'tis  the  shepherds,  and  the  prayer 
Their  glad  hearts  echo,  is  of  joy    profound, 
Of  joy   and   gladness,    for  the    Christ    is  found. 


XVII 


'l^llio^HEY  offer   gifts  with  humbleness  sincere, 

V^iyfcv       Rude  offerings,  but    held    by    them    most    dear ; 
\D  (if)] 
j^j^       And  then  they  rise  —  to  Mary  tell  the  tale 

Of  all  that  passed  far  off  in  their  lone  vale, 

And  when  they  told  of  all  they  heard  and  saw. 

They  go  their  way,  o'ercome  with  awe ; 

Overcome   with    awe    and    gladness,  for   they    sing 

In    rapture   of  the    Christ,    the  new   born    King, 

And   echoes   scatter   sweetly    from   the    song 

And   lingering,  die,    as  though    they'd    fain    prolong. 


XV III 


HE   Christ   is    born.      O  happy  midnight  hour 

When  thou  did'st  break,  then  fled  the  demon's  power, 

And  in  the  night  proud  Comus'  temple  fell, 

Its  oracle  destroyed,  no  more  to  tell 

Its  breathings  false;   then  in  thy  hour  bloomed  fair, 

Engaddis'  vines,  and  filled  was  all  the  air 

With  wondrous  mystery.      The  Christ  is  born, 

The  Saviour  of  mankind ;    then  broke  the  morn, 

The  joyous  dawn  of  life  anew,  of  love. 

The    first  ray   of  the    light  of  life    above. 


THE    COMING    OF  THE  MAGI. 


XIX 


^^K,  t^|0    where  Jerusalem    in    splendor   stands 

Sfci       Supremely  fair,  there  came  from  far-off  lands 
>*^*V^       Three   travellers   in    pomp   and    splendor   rare, 
^        Amid  a  train  of  slaves  and  trappings  fair, 
Three  men,  majestic  and  of  noble  mein : 
The}^  came  to  seek  the  Christ,  for  they  had  seen 
Far  in  the  east  his  star — a  wondrous  light 
That  led  them  on  and  on  through  day  and  night, 
'Cross  many  desert  wastes,  through  changing  clime, 
Until  it  led  them   to   fair   Palestine. 


XX 


^^ND  when  at  last  they  had  come   nearly   nigh 
Unto    Jerusalem,    far    in    the    sky 
The  star  did  vanish,  but  they  entered    in 
The  city's  gate,   and   for  the  new-born  King, 
From    everyone,    did  question    eagerly; 
But  no  one  knew   of   him   they   came  to  see. 
The  Magi  wondered,   but  repaired   to  rest 
And  on  the   morrow  to   renew   their   quest. 
Repose  they  found,   and  as  in  peace    they  slept 
Dreams  of  the  Christ-child  through  their  slumbers  crept 


XXI 


\j{^s\  EWS  of  the  strangers  and   for  whom   they   sought, 
^  '    ^     The  new  born  King  of  Juda,  soon  were  brought 
To    mighty   Herod,  who  in  rage   did    seek 
His  councillors,  and  bade  them  to  him   speak 
Of  when   the  Jews'  messiah    would    be  born. 
They  searched  the  records,  and  they  named  the  town 
As  that  of    Bethlehem,    in  Juda's   land, 
And  that   his   coming   soon    would  be  at    hand 
For    now  the  last    of    Daniel's    weeks    were    o'er. 
This   was    his   time    to   come — they   said   no    more. 


XXII 


4. 


^^UT    Herod    in   great  anger,    swore    that    he 
And  he    alone,  Judea's    King   would  be ; 
And   with  deceitful    cunning   did   invite 
The    strangers   three    before    him  that    he  might 
Inquire    closely    all    that  they   did    know 
About    the   Christ ;     then    kindly   bade   them   go, 
But    asked   them  that   they   might    return    his  wa}^ 
To    tell    him    all,  that    he    might    homage    pa}- 
Unto    the    child ;    and    they,    suspecting    not 
His    ill    design,    agreed,    and    then    set    out. 


XXIII 


^jI^M/UT   scarcely   had   they  gone   their    way    afar 

When    in  the  heavens  soon  appeared    their  star ; 
With  joyful   hearts  they    followed  in    the  way 
The   light  led  on,    till   last  ere   close  of  day 
The  star   stood   still,  its  bright  rays    pointing   down 
Upon   a   rocky    hillside    near   the   town : 
And  coming   near,  they    see  a   cavern    low 
They    enter  in,   'tis  lit   up   with    a   glow  — 
And   there  they    find  the  child,  their  search    is    o'er, 
And   prostrate    low,  the    infant    they   adore. 


i^ 


.     .     XXIV 


HEY    worshipped    long,    sincerely    and    profound, 

Then  slow  with  reverence   rose   up   from   the   ground 

And    went   without,    but    quickly    did    return, 

Each    bearing   in    his    arms    a    golden    urn, 

And  to  the  child  they  offer  precious   gold, 

This    as   an    earthly  King,   and  then  behold 

They  offer  myrrh  and    incense,  as   a    sign 

Of  adoration  to  a    God   divine. 

As    King   of  men,   they  offer    glittering  store. 

But    as    a  God,    with    fervent    hearts,  adore. 


XXV 


^^)0\^ND   then    they    turn    to    Mary,    whom   they   found 
Fair  as  the   morn,  and  bowing  to   the  ground 
Before    her,   pray  that   God's  grace  might  ever  rest 
Upon    her,  then   leave  the  cave,  and   in  the   west 
Pursue  their  way  to  Jericho,  to  tell 
King  Herod   of  the  child.      But  w^hen  night  fell 
And  as  they  slept,  they  heard  an  angel  speak 
Of   Herod's  evil  will.       They  did  not  seek 
The  King,  but  as  the  angel  did    command 
They  turned  their  way  to  Persia's  loveh'  strand. 


.     XXVI 


ND  far   away    in    Bethlehem's   lone  cave 
^^^%      The  Christ-child  lay,  the  Christ  who  came  to  save  ; 
There  in  his  lowly   cot  where   humbly  prayed 
The    shepherds  rude,   and  where  the  wise  men  laid 
Their  precious  gifts  and  worshipped  so  profound, 
There  in  that  cell  who's   walls  did   once  resound 
With  wondrous   melody  —  the  infant  slept ; 
And  as  the  morning  gray  beams  softly  crept 
Far  in  the  eastern  sky,  then  broke  the  dawn, 
The  gladdest  of  all  days  —  the   Christmas  morn. 


7^' 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 
BERKELEY 

Return  to  desk  from  which  borrowed. 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


'^^'^  ^0  1948 
10Apr'53HP 

--2  7 1953  Ll^ 


LD  21-100m-9,'47(A5702sl6)476 


YC  ■14503 


671530 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  UBRARY 


